Eldar Kabardaev, a native of Karachay-Cherkessia, was sentenced by the Military Court in St. Petersburg to six years in prison for inciting extremism. According to the prosecution, in 2022, he justified the activities of the Nogai and Cherkessk Battalions, designated terrorist organizations in Russia, in a Telegram chat.
Kabardaev admitted guilt in court, but claimed that he published these comments at the behest of law enforcement officers. Despite this statement, the case file contains a certificate from the FSB denying his cooperation with the agency.
Kabardaev was detained in St. Petersburg on January 28 and arrested the following day. He worked in St. Petersburg as a laborer. He had previously served as a contract intelligence officer in the Russian Armed Forces.
